Taste of Blood
by CloakandDagger1
Summary: Harry's anger unlocks something inside him and causes him to discover his magic long before Hogwarts begin to send him letters. Harry's anger also unlocks something else inside him. He's had a taste of blood and once you taste blood your hooked.


Prologue

The gentle evening wind blew past the undistinguishable houses that stood tall on Privet Drive. Number 4, in particular stood out from the rest. An aura of smugness radiating from the property even when its proud residents were sound asleep. Owners Petunia and Vernon Dursley were known for their boastful nature, never missing a chance to gush to anyone who'd listen about their pampered lawn and flowerbeds or Vernon's _illustrious_ position as director of the Grunnings Drill Company _or_ their golden son, Dudley. Though many would disagree with that last claim, often seeing the plump boy causing more trouble than good around the neighbourhood. Yet few would confront Vernon and his large intimidating frame or challenge Petunia's sharp tongue.

Despite their flaws together the Dursleys were the picture perfect image of normal. Completely ordinary.

However tonight something strange stirred inside of 4.

The house was relatively quiet whilst the Dursleys slept soundly upstairs, well if one took no notice of Vernon's monstrous snoring. Few noises could be heard around the house. A gentle hum came from the radiators, a nearby branch outside tapped occasionally on the living room window downstairs but there was also a rather strange noise in the house, coming from a very peculiar place.

The cupboard under the stairs!

Nearer to the cupboard, the noises could be distinguished as rattling and although at first the rattling was inconsistent and unnoticeable, the noise grew louder and too frequent to be dismissed as a rat or spiders.

It was in fact Petunia Dursley's nephew, 7 year old Harry Potter, who lay inside the dirty cupboard wide awake and stirring relentlessly as sleep would not take him. This cupboard, or as aunt Petunia reminded him 'bedroom', wasn't the most comfortable place to sleep in and Harry had struggled many times before. However tonight sleep was the last thing on little Harry's mind as he took great care in moving his sore bruised arm and torso to adjust to the cramped cupboard.

It had been hours since his uncle Vernon had thrown him in the cupboard, angry that his strange nephew could best his golden son Dudley at school. How could the scrawny freaky Potter child achieve such high results Vernon had pondered quickly dismissing any idea that Harry could actually be smart and coming to a conclusion the boy had obviously cheated.

The minute his eyes had laid on the report cards the school had mailed over, Vernon had been furious. All A's the freak had some nerve he'd fumed pacing back and forth in the kitchen much to Petunia's annoyance who was trying to savage a quickly burning casserole she was trying to make. One thing Vernon was silently grateful the boy could do was cook better than his wife!

When the boys had arrived home from school, Dudley pushing past Harry and rushing towards the fridge, it didn't occur to Vernon he probably should've addressed his son's bad grades first.

Instead, as soon as he'd laid his seething eyes on the Harry's oblivious green Vernon had been overcome with so much rage the next moments moved in such a blur that Vernon would later not recall this part of the story later in bed with his wife.

In two big strides Vernon was in front on Harry, towering over his small frame. Harry who wasn't a stranger to his uncle's anger braced himself, but not quick enough as his uncle's fist came crashing into his stomach.

The raven haired boy doubled over in pain landing on the floor with a great thud! He clutched his stomach, as the force of the blow had been more than he'd expected. In that moment Dudley's head had popped around the corner, a pack of chips dangling from his clenched teeth . When he saw his cousin sprawled on the floor no sympathy came over him instead, Dudley began to cheer removing the bag from his mouth and munching away as the scene unfurled before him.

Vernon wasn't done however and lifted Harry's head by the roots of his hair ignoring the small boy's ragged coughs and breaths.

"You think your special, huh boy? Cheating at school do you think I'm stupid" Vernon snarled spit flying out of his mouth.

Harry opened his mouth to answer but Vernon smacked him in the face before he could respond. The smoke alarm had now began to ring out in the kitchen and whilst Petunia could still hear her nephew and her husband she ignored it. Petunia didn't care. She never had, had much love for her sister so she'd reasoned long ago not to care for Lily's son. Even when she'd found him as a baby on her doorstep. Treating Harry as her own or even loving him was beyond comprehension for the bony housewife.

"Did I say you could talk boy" Vernon continued not caring of Harry's now bloody lip and savouring the sight of the boy squirm in his grasp.

"Your nothing. YOU HEAR ME! Nothing. Just like your no good parents."

Vernon had then grabbed Harry's arm and savagely lifted him back to his feet, he dragged Harry towards the cupboard under the stairs and violently thrown him inside locking the door for good measure. The freak wouldn't be getting supper tonight he thought victoriously, looking back to the smoke billowing out the kitchen at this rate he would be either.

Harry had landed on his arm and hit his head on a shelf on the way down before he blacked out however Harry heard Vernon's fading words.

"Petunia, honey? Let's go out to eat tonight, my treat"

Darkness had taken him after and hours later Harry woke up in the middle of the night to find himself in the predicament he was in now, the taste of blood still present in his mouth.

Harry cursed himself quietly as he sat up, minding his head on the shelf behind him. How could he be so dumb he thought bitterly he shouldn't have listened to his foolish teachers who had encouraged him and praised his high grades. He should've failed like he normally did to avoid attention then this would've been avoided all together. He shut his eyes as another shot of pain ran through his arm.

Vernon was a very temperamental man who'd loathed his nephew, more so than his wife did, ever since he'd been left on their doorstep years ago in diapers. Any opportunity he had had since then to show this hatred for his nephew he took. At first it hadn't been too bad, Petunia had at first prevented him from doing any _real_ damage. However as Harry grew as did Vernon's hatred of the boy and eventually Petunia let the man do as he wished. Dudley loved every moment and would often make up lies up to put Harry in more trouble with his uncle.

Growing up with the Dursleys had been hard to put things lightly. Between the beatings and housework Harry was no better to them than a slave.

It was hell on earth.

At first he'd cried and cried hoping for a saviour of some sort, someone to take him away from his hateful relatives. The idea to tell his teachers had crept up in Harry's mind but Vernon had shot that horse in the face, informing the teachers Harry was a frequent and compulsive liar, (and why would such a respectable man such as Vernon Dursley lie about such a thing). Vernon had also threatened to hit him so hard his teeth would fall out. Harry was smart enough not to give Vernon fuel to test that theory.

No saviour came, no teacher wised up to the truth and eventually the tears stopped falling and Harry grew colder and colder until soon all that remained was anger. Anger at the Dursleys, anger at his parents for leaving him and anger at his weakness to do anything about it.

In that moment, sat in the darkness Harry vowed to be strong, stronger than the Dursleys, stronger than anyone else. He'd spent his whole life being weak and that would change. He would become stronger, get power by all means necessary, one thing Vernon had taught Harry first hand growing up is that mercy was for the weak and Harry had no place for that anymore.

No seven year old should feel the amount of anger Harry felt in this moment as he recited his vows. He began to say them out loud.

I won't be weak

I will be strong

I will have power

They will all pay

Harry could feel it. His anger beginning to increase it was too late to suppress it now. Harry was furious. His hate was consuming him.

As Harry continued to grow angrier a soft greenish and at first soft glow had begun to engulf him and the room hummed with unfathomable power. Harry had yet to open his eyes and so was oblivious to the happenings around him, the glow was now substantial filling the cupboard with unnatural light.

That's when Harry _felt_ it.

Something stirred inside of him and it felt nothing short of amazing. In that moment he forget where he was, the Dursleys and even the pain.

And just like that the feeling… it was gone.

Everything was silent again. Harry's eyes shot open. The glow was gone and all that remained was the burning desire in Harry's eyes to know what had happened in that moment he let his anger take over.

What was that, Harry thought frantically looking wildly at his hands and the space that surrounded him. He found nothing, felt nothing but that didn't dampen his newly awakened spirits.

A slow smile crept across his face. A chilling sight on such a seemingly innocent face.

Harry's injuries were gone that much was for sure, but the taste of blood lingered in his mouth. His eye lids soon became heavy, that sensation whatever it was draining.

And as Harry lay down with his torn clothing that barely kept him warm, onto the dirty sheets his aunt had thrown into cramped space. He fully well knew the next day would probably follow the same pattern he was accustom to. The Dursleys would hate him, his teachers would be annoyed at him especially with his drop in grades but Harry didn't care.

As sleep finally claimed him the smile never left his face.


End file.
